X-Git-Url: http://erislabs.net/gitweb/?a=blobdiff_plain;ds=inline;f=doc%2Fstandards.texi;h=73885d6670b58683d2f71834e15ed7d65392fb78;hb=a155c5688ab059c1c2fff7f132116b455ddb37ba;hp=54bddf4cdd2c861ad0ac455599b1784e9caf9a1e;hpb=7c0e989d53ae77837997bd6a661660d49ef30d7b;p=gnulib.git
diff --git a/doc/standards.texi b/doc/standards.texi
index 54bddf4cd..73885d667 100644
--- a/doc/standards.texi
+++ b/doc/standards.texi
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
@setfilename standards.info
@settitle GNU Coding Standards
@c This date is automagically updated when you save this file:
-@set lastupdate October 31, 2008
+@set lastupdate June 21, 2010
@c %**end of header
@dircategory GNU organization
@@ -27,16 +27,15 @@
The GNU coding standards, last updated @value{lastupdate}.
Copyright @copyright{} 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
-2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software
+2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Free Software
Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
-under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
-or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
-with no Invariant Sections, with no
-Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts.
-A copy of the license is included in the section entitled ``GNU
-Free Documentation License''.
+under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or
+any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no
+Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover
+Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled
+``GNU Free Documentation License''.
@end copying
@titlepage
@@ -82,9 +81,6 @@ programs written in C, but many of the rules and principles are useful
even if you write in another programming language. The rules often
state reasons for writing in a certain way.
-This release of the GNU Coding Standards was last updated
-@value{lastupdate}.
-
@cindex where to obtain @code{standards.texi}
@cindex downloading this manual
If you did not obtain this file directly from the GNU project and
@@ -93,11 +89,29 @@ Coding Standards from the GNU web server in many
different formats, including the Texinfo source, PDF, HTML, DVI, plain
text, and more, at: @uref{http://www.gnu.org/prep/standards/}.
-Corrections or suggestions for this document should be sent to
-@email{bug-standards@@gnu.org}. If you make a suggestion, please include a
-suggested new wording for it; our time is limited. We prefer a context
-diff to the @file{standards.texi} or @file{make-stds.texi} files, but if
-you don't have those files, please mail your suggestion anyway.
+If you are maintaining an official GNU package, in addition to this
+document, please read and follow the GNU maintainer information
+(@pxref{Top, , Contents, maintain, Information for Maintainers of GNU
+Software}).
+
+@cindex @code{gnustandards-commit@@gnu.org} mailing list
+If you want to receive diffs for every change to these GNU documents,
+join the mailing list @code{gnustandards-commit@@gnu.org}, via the web
+interface at
+@url{http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/gnustandards-commit}.
+Archives are also available there.
+
+@cindex @code{bug-standards@@gnu.org} email address
+@cindex Savannah repository for gnustandards
+@cindex gnustandards project repository
+Please send corrections or suggestions for this document to
+@email{bug-standards@@gnu.org}. If you make a suggestion, please
+include a suggested new wording for it, to help us consider the
+suggestion efficiently. We prefer a context diff to the Texinfo
+source, but if that's difficult for you, you can make a context diff
+for some other version of this document, or propose it in any way that
+makes it clear. The source repository for this document can be found
+at @url{http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/gnustandards}.
These standards cover the minimum of what is important when writing a
GNU package. Likely, the need for additional standards will come up.
@@ -115,6 +129,10 @@ The GNU Hello program serves as an example of how to follow the GNU
coding standards for a trivial program.
@uref{http://www.gnu.org/software/hello/hello.html}.
+This release of the GNU Coding Standards was last updated
+@value{lastupdate}.
+
+
@node Legal Issues
@chapter Keeping Free Software Free
@cindex legal aspects
@@ -314,7 +332,7 @@ Guile also includes bindings for GTK+/GNOME, making it practical to
write modern GUI functionality within Guile. We don't reject programs
written in other ``scripting languages'' such as Perl and Python, but
using Guile is very important for the overall consistency of the GNU
-system.
+system.
@node Compatibility
@@ -497,7 +515,7 @@ and is not always appropriate, following this policy would have saved
GCC developers many hours, or even days, per year.
In the case of function-like macros like @code{REVERSIBLE_CC_MODE} in
-GCC which cannot be simply used in @code{if( ...)} statements, there is
+GCC which cannot be simply used in @code{if (...)} statements, there is
an easy workaround. Simply introduce another macro
@code{HAS_REVERSIBLE_CC_MODE} as in the following example:
@@ -678,7 +696,7 @@ creating temporary files in world-writable directories. In C, you can
avoid this problem by creating temporary files in this manner:
@example
-fd = open(filename, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_EXCL, 0600);
+fd = open (filename, O_WRONLY | O_CREAT | O_EXCL, 0600);
@end example
@noindent
@@ -837,25 +855,32 @@ multi-column format.
@node Graphical Interfaces
@section Standards for Graphical Interfaces
@cindex graphical user interface
+@cindex interface styles
+@cindex user interface styles
-@cindex gtk+
+@cindex GTK+
When you write a program that provides a graphical user interface,
-please make it work with X Windows and the GTK+ toolkit unless the
-functionality specifically requires some alternative (for example,
-``displaying jpeg images while in console mode'').
+please make it work with the X Window System and the GTK+ toolkit
+unless the functionality specifically requires some alternative (for
+example, ``displaying jpeg images while in console mode'').
In addition, please provide a command-line interface to control the
functionality. (In many cases, the graphical user interface can be a
separate program which invokes the command-line program.) This is
so that the same jobs can be done from scripts.
-@cindex corba
-@cindex gnome
-Please also consider providing a CORBA interface (for use from GNOME), a
-library interface (for use from C), and perhaps a keyboard-driven
-console interface (for use by users from console mode). Once you are
-doing the work to provide the functionality and the graphical interface,
-these won't be much extra work.
+@cindex CORBA
+@cindex GNOME
+@cindex D-bus
+@cindex keyboard interface
+@cindex library interface
+Please also consider providing a D-bus interface for use from other
+running programs, such as within GNOME. (GNOME used to use CORBA
+for this, but that is being phased out.) In addition, consider
+providing a library interface (for use from C), and perhaps a
+keyboard-driven console interface (for use by users from console
+mode). Once you are doing the work to provide the functionality and
+the graphical interface, these won't be much extra work.
@node Command-Line Interfaces
@@ -1023,10 +1048,6 @@ GNU General Public License, @url{http://www.gnu.org/@/licenses/@/gpl.html}.
@item LGPL
GNU Lesser General Public License, @url{http://www.gnu.org/@/licenses/@/lgpl.html}.
-@item GPL/Guile
-GNU GPL with the exception for Guile; for example, GPLv3+/Guile means
-the GNU GPL version 3 or later, with the extra exception for Guile.
-
@item GPL/Ada
GNU GPL with the exception for Ada.
@@ -1058,12 +1079,12 @@ The non-license that is being in the public domain,
The license for Python, @url{http://www.python.org/@/2.0.1/@/license.html}.
@item RBSD
-The revised (3-clause) BSD, compatible with the GNU GPL,
+The revised (3-clause) BSD, compatible with the GNU GPL,@*
@url{http://www.xfree86.org/@/3.3.6/@/COPYRIGHT2.html#5}.
@item X11
The simple non-copyleft license used for most versions of the X Window
-system, @url{http://www.xfree86.org/@/3.3.6/@/COPYRIGHT2.html#3}.
+System, @url{http://www.xfree86.org/@/3.3.6/@/COPYRIGHT2.html#3}.
@item Zlib
The license for Zlib, @url{http://www.gzip.org/@/zlib/@/zlib_license.html}.
@@ -1087,13 +1108,19 @@ is seen, and the program should not perform its normal function.
@cindex address for bug reports
@cindex bug reports
-Near the end of the @samp{--help} option's output there should be a line
-that says where to mail bug reports. It should have this format:
+Near the end of the @samp{--help} option's output, please place lines
+giving the email address for bug reports, the package's home page
+(normally @indicateurl{http://www.gnu.org/software/@var{pkg}}, and the
+general page for help using GNU programs. The format should be like this:
@example
-Report bugs to @var{mailing-address}.
+Report bugs to: @var{mailing-address}
+@var{pkg} home page:
+General help using GNU software:
@end example
+It is ok to mention other appropriate mailing lists and web pages.
+
@node Option Table
@section Table of Long Options
@@ -3513,7 +3540,7 @@ clear explanation of how the earlier version differed.
The change log file is normally called @file{ChangeLog} and covers an
entire directory. Each directory can have its own change log, or a
-directory can use the change log of its parent directory--it's up to
+directory can use the change log of its parent directory---it's up to
you.
Another alternative is to record change log information with a version
@@ -3521,22 +3548,21 @@ control system such as RCS or CVS. This can be converted automatically
to a @file{ChangeLog} file using @code{rcs2log}; in Emacs, the command
@kbd{C-x v a} (@code{vc-update-change-log}) does the job.
-There's no need to describe the full purpose of the changes or how they
-work together. If you think that a change calls for explanation, you're
-probably right. Please do explain it---but please put the explanation
-in comments in the code, where people will see it whenever they see the
-code. For example, ``New function'' is enough for the change log when
-you add a function, because there should be a comment before the
-function definition to explain what it does.
+There's no need to describe the full purpose of the changes or how
+they work together. However, sometimes it is useful to write one line
+to describe the overall purpose of a change or a batch of changes. If
+you think that a change calls for explanation, you're probably right.
+Please do explain it---but please put the full explanation in comments
+in the code, where people will see it whenever they see the code. For
+example, ``New function'' is enough for the change log when you add a
+function, because there should be a comment before the function
+definition to explain what it does.
In the past, we recommended not mentioning changes in non-software
files (manuals, help files, etc.) in change logs. However, we've been
advised that it is a good idea to include them, for the sake of
copyright records.
-However, sometimes it is useful to write one line to describe the
-overall purpose of a batch of changes.
-
The easiest way to add an entry to @file{ChangeLog} is with the Emacs
command @kbd{M-x add-change-log-entry}. An entry should have an
asterisk, the name of the changed file, and then in parentheses the name
@@ -3737,15 +3763,10 @@ page explaining that you don't maintain it and that the Texinfo manual
is more authoritative. The note should say how to access the Texinfo
documentation.
-Be sure that man pages include a copyright statement and free
-license. The simple all-permissive license is appropriate for simple
-man pages:
-
-@example
-Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification,
-are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright
-notice and this notice are preserved.
-@end example
+Be sure that man pages include a copyright statement and free license.
+The simple all-permissive license is appropriate for simple man pages
+(@pxref{License Notices for Other Files,,,maintain,Information for GNU
+Maintainers}).
For long man pages, with enough explanation and documentation that
they can be considered true manuals, use the GFDL (@pxref{License for
@@ -3948,7 +3969,7 @@ is preferable to setting them in environment variables:
CC=gcc ./configure
@end example
as it helps to recreate the same configuration later with
-@file{config.status}.
+@file{config.status}. However, both methods should be supported.
@end table
All @code{configure} scripts should accept all of the ``detail''
@@ -4036,7 +4057,7 @@ should contain an explanation of the installation procedure.
The @file{README} file should also refer to the file which contains the
copying conditions. The GNU GPL, if used, should be in a file called
@file{COPYING}. If the GNU LGPL is used, it should be in a file called
-@file{COPYING.LIB}.
+@file{COPYING.LESSER}.
Naturally, all the source files must be in the distribution. It is okay
to include non-source files in the distribution, provided they are
@@ -4051,13 +4072,13 @@ installing the program should @strong{never} be included in the
distribution. So if you do distribute non-source files, always make
sure they are up to date when you make a new distribution.
-Make sure that the directory into which the distribution unpacks (as
-well as any subdirectories) are all world-writable (octal mode 777).
-This is so that old versions of @code{tar} which preserve the
-ownership and permissions of the files from the tar archive will be
-able to extract all the files even if the user is unprivileged.
-
-Make sure that all the files in the distribution are world-readable.
+Make sure that all the files in the distribution are world-readable, and
+that directories are world-readable and world-searchable (octal mode 755).
+We used to recommend that all directories in the distribution also be
+world-writable (octal mode 777), because ancient versions of @code{tar}
+would otherwise not cope when extracting the archive as an unprivileged
+user. That can easily lead to security issues when creating the archive,
+however, so now we recommend against that.
Don't include any symbolic links in the distribution itself. If the tar
file contains symbolic links, then people cannot even unpack it on
@@ -4170,7 +4191,7 @@ documentation.
By contrast, it is ok to refer to journal articles and textbooks in
the comments of a program for explanation of how it functions, even
though they are non-free. This is because we don't include such
-things in the GNU system even they are free---they are outside the
+things in the GNU system even if they are free---they are outside the
scope of what a software distribution needs to include.
Referring to a web site that describes or recommends a non-free
@@ -4210,5 +4231,5 @@ eval: (add-hook 'write-file-hooks 'time-stamp)
time-stamp-start: "@set lastupdate "
time-stamp-end: "$"
time-stamp-format: "%:b %:d, %:y"
-compile-command: "make just-standards"
+compile-command: "cd work.s && make"
End: